This invention relates to the flushing of toilets and to the conservation of water involved therewith. Heretofore, water has been the sole medium employed in the operation of toilets in the disposal of sewage waste, particularly domestic toilets operating entirely by means of a hydraulic water supply. That is, the ordinary prior art toilet operates entirely by the fall of a head of water from a raised storage tank, or by equivalent means, whereby the water level rises in and rinses the toilet bowl, followed by a syphoning effect that draws a full tank of water and entrained waste over a trap and into a sewer line. It is a general object of this invention to utilize the initial discharge of storage tank water to cause pneumatic pressurization of the toilet bowl to thereby initiate syphoning of waste laden water.
In practice, the volume of toilet flush water is minimized to only that which is necessary to ensure a full flush plus sufficient water to maintain clear sewage lines. Prior art toilet flushing systems have relied exclusively upon the sudden release of a substantial volume of water from an elevated storage tank, or the like. The hydraulic principles involved include rinsing and filling the toilet bowl and to establish an air trap that isolates the sewage line, these functions being retained in the practice of this invention. However, it is also an object herein to employ pneumatics to intitiate and to carry out the flushing functions with the use of water reserved to rinsing and filling the toilet bowl to its passive readiness for subsequent flushing. A characteristic feature of this invention is the closable chamber over the water level in the toilet bowl, and means to pressurize said chamber with air in order to initiate and to consumate flushing. Accordingly, it is another object of this invention to provide a seat and/or cover means releasably sealing said chamber to access. In carrying out this invention, the seat is opened by the cover for normal use by a person, following which it is closed and sealed by the cover and to the rim of the toilet bowl. It is in this sealed condition that flushing is initiated by the introduction of a charge of water into the closed chamber.
An existent and necessary feature of prior art toilets is the vent opening from the toilet bowl into the storage tank above the water level therein, providing an overflow into the bowl and to the sewer waste line. The vent opens below a flush valve and into a flush passage, for communication between the storage tank and toilet bowl when the flush valve is closed. However, when the flush valve is opened and floods the flush passage an air seal is formed in said passage while permitting free discharge of storage tank water. It is an object of this invention to control this vent, usually in the form of a standpipe, so that the aforementioned bowl chamber can be pressurized. In practice, a hydraulic occlusion is established in the flush passage to prevent air exhaust therethrough while permitting tank water to flow toward and into the bowl.
A prerequisite of this flushing system is the seat to toilet bowl seal, it being an object herein to provide sealing means to close the toilet bowl chamber and preferably to control air flow so as to permit free entry of surrounding atmosphere after syphoning is initiated.
A feature of this flushing system is the limited use of water, it being an object to provide water volume control whereby a predetermined volume of water is utilized to rinse and fill the toilet bowl after each flushing. It is feasible to rely upon existent water held passively in the bowl for flushing into the sewer waste pipe, the storage tank water being reserved to refill said bowl after flushing is completed.
A characteristic of this flushing system is the use of air pressure to initiate flushing, it being an object herein to pneumatically augment the hydraulic function so as to accelerate the actual flushing function that it initiates.
A prerequisite of this flushing system is the sealed bowl chamber that is opened for access, it being an object herein to provide means to releasably seal said chamber so as to be air tight. As shown in the drawings and as hereinafter described, it is an object to force flush the toilet bowl chamber by pneumatic pressure resulting from the discharge of storage tank water into the toilet bowl chamber sealed against outside atmosphere. Accordingly, the sudden and substantially increased volume of water in the sealed toilet bowl chamber augments the downward gravitational force of the storage tank flush water discharge, that quickly initiates syphoning without undue agitation and/or stirring of waste and/or debris. Note that agitation can defeat complete flushing of waste in most prior art toilets.
A characteristic feature of this invention is the sealed toilet bowl chamber. It is the primary air seal of the toilet seat and cover which is most evident and which presents two controlling conditions, a closed condition and an open condition. And, it is a secondary air seal which is unobvious and established herein by the vent pipe and flush passage relationship that cooperate when flooded with the flow of flush tank water that inherently establishes pneumatic closure or occlusion to atmosphere. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to coordinate the opened and closed conditions of the toilet bowl cover in order to operate the toilet flush valve after using the toilet and through the process of closing the cover to seal the toilet bowl chamber. This process enforces immediate flushing and closure of the toilet bowl for sanitary purposes, while opening of the cover remains a passive operation . Closing the cover results in flushing the toilet bowl when the flush valve is operated.